VENDOR, BEVERLY DIXON, LEFT, SHOWS OFF SOME THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS TO KELLY AND DAVID BRANNON AT THE JACK O'LANTERN JUBILEE HELD IN NORTH AUGUSTA ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 27, 2012. PHOTO BY MIKE ADAMS/SPECIAL

VENDOR, BEVERLY DIXON, LEFT, SHOWS OFF SOME THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS TO KELLY AND DAVID BRANNON AT THE JACK O'LANTERN JUBILEE HELD IN NORTH AUGUSTA ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 27, 2012. PHOTO BY MIKE ADAMS/SPECIAL

Vanessa Phillips kept trying to take a picture of her son, John Waters, Saturday as he sat in a helicopter car waiting for the ride to begin.

But the 7-year-old, wearing a black skeleton T-shirt, kept turning to see who was in the helicopter behind him, and looking at the steering wheel above his head as he turned it to make the propellers move.

Finally, as the ride jolted to life, Waters looked at his mother and grinned.

Phillips has attended the Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee every year since she was a little girl.

“We love it,” she said.

The annual festival included arts and crafts, live music, games, a cornhole tournament and a barbecue cookoff, which was staged behind Jackson Square.

The children’s rides were moved to Buena Vista Avenue, closing it off between Georgia and West avenues.

“It’s nice being able to have the children’s area right here, and having the other activities kind of separated. It’s a lot nicer that way,” she said.

At 1 p.m., tiny werewolves, genies, Grim Reapers and a Little Red Riding Hood took the stage for a costume contest.